


On the Trail of Blood and Roses

by RavensChrome



Series: It's a Monarchy [2]
Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Background Relationships, Dundrasil Never Fell AU, Gen, Jade's going to rule the world, The Dark Side of Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:07:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25465213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavensChrome/pseuds/RavensChrome
Summary: The throne was usually pictured with a king sitting in its place. His majesty sitting just below of Yggdrasil's Will, Heliodor has been a kingdom since its dawning.Jade sits in her own throne now, as the princess of her kingdom until wedded to the one to be king.She absolutely hates it.
Relationships: Hero | Luminary & Marutina | Jade (Dragon Quest XI)
Series: It's a Monarchy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2186346
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17
Collections: DQXI Hot Girl Summer





	On the Trail of Blood and Roses

**Author's Note:**

> Hot Girl Summer!

The throne was usually pictured with a king sitting in its place. His majesty sitting just below of Yggdrasil's Will, Heliodor has been a _king_ dom since its dawning.

Jade sits in her own throne now, as the princess of her _king_ dom until wedded to the one to be king.

She absolutely hates it.

“Oh, Jade...” Eleven came with drinks and hopefully a distraction as well. “Your fiance is off entertaining other women again?”

Her fiance was an unsightly thing, a flashy rooster at best. He didn't look bad, and he certainly was using his features to the fullest. Preening and puff his feathers of both metaphorical and real.

She'll set fire to that ugly hat soon enough. Or maybe she'll let Jasper have that particular honour. Yggdrasil knows he hates it just as much as she does.

“Sometimes I wonder if it's a good thing that he's not around me.”

“He'll be faster to die if he did.”

Jade smirked at Eleven's comment. “I also do wonder who will do him in first. It's only a matter of time after all.”

A cankerous laughter spoiled the good mood. The ladies and gentlemen alike all swarmed like hungry dogs. One wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them and beggars if they stripped off their silk and wines.

“Shameless.” Jade internally snarled. “I don't understand how father is blind to _that_.”

An arranged marriage between her and the Duke's son, betrothed without her say on her eighteenth birthday, a surprise that she was supposed to be happy about. Something that was supposed to make the _king_ dom stronger within itself, a happy celebration.

Of course, her fiance was the ecstatic one and Jade shut out her father.

Years went by and she's become bitter and colder.

“I'm still so sorry, Jade.” Eleven bit his lip. “If I've known I would've accepted the marriage betwee-”

“Stop it.” Jade looked at him sharply. “It doesn't matter now, and you were crushing on the stable boy at the time.” She finally gave a wry smile. “Or would he be your concubine now?”

“T-that-!” Eleven let out a long huff. “We're talking about your problems right now, not my love life. I've heard a disturbing rumour surrounding that man of yours.”

That got a vicious grin out of Jade. “If it's the same rumour that I've heard, then don't you worry your pretty little head about that. I've got it handled.”

“But!” Eleven clicked his mouth shut at how loud he got but the surrounding party was unaware of it. “He's been spreading nasty rumours, of you!” He hissed under his breathe. “I've also heard that he's been seriously courting another woman! What is your father doing?!”

Truly, what has he been thinking? Since the attack on Dundrasil, he hasn't been the same. Jade always knew with the death of her mother, her father has been silently grieving, but the swarm of monsters that nearly felled Dundrasil has left him secretive and paranoid.

But those things have left Heliodor disgruntled and lopsided. If she did not enact her efforts for fairness for all citizens, she'd fear how the poor districts would fair. Nobles of her father's court were constantly scheming and it was unlike her father to let those schemes pass his by.

But then the schemes that were hatched could be matched with the sliest criminals and her father has been getting very old and nearing retirement. Her twenty-first birthday was just a year away, just another year until she should be wed.

A wedding that won't come anywhere close.

“J-jade!”

The princess blinked her eyes twice before she realized that he cracked the glass of her drink. Nothing spilled through the cracks, but it was threatening to.

She waved a servant passing her by and they took the cup away.

“That would've been bad.” Jade sighed before giving Eleven a pleasant smile. “And don't worry so much, dear little brother of mine. I told you, I've got it handled.”

“Do you really though?” Eleven looked up with his kicked puppy act. “It wouldn't be hard, you know? All you've got to do is ask.”

From that statement only, she instantly knew that politics in Dundrasil wasn't a smooth sail either. Unlike Jade, Eleven has been faced with a handful of assassins every year. A ridiculous rumour that his Luminary title was a mere enactment of an omen, a bringer of darkness as the bearer of light.

Eleven was still kind, but he has blood on his hands at a too early age.

That stable boy was also someone with connections that Eleven won't admit. Jade was pretty sure the only reason why his own father keeps the stable boy because he also made a good bodyguard that Eleven doesn't actively ditch.

Truly, both their fates were drawn by others and they both struggled in taking the brush back in order to paint their end pictures. While Eleven is succeeding by procuring his own brush, Jade was far more vindictive.

“The only thing I'll ask of you, Prince Eleven, is for you to support my _Queen_ dom.” Jade said airily. “That's something you can do when the time comes, right?”

His eyes sparkled and the curtains fluttered behind him.

“Of course, I'll make sure Dundrasil stands by Heliodor.”

“If it takes that long, I'll personally host your wedding.” Jade felt the pleasure of the coming future. “Just watch, dear brother of mine.”

She wonders if it would've been better if Dundrasil fell. She wonders if life without the royal responsibilities and games would've been kinder to both her and Eleven. Maybe even keep that wistful thought of innocence from the life they lived. Surround themselves with more people without having to worry about their intentions.

But then she looks on to her two favourite knights, both bestowed to her just before Dundrasil fell. Her father tried his best to wrestle them back in the recent years, but she wasn't having none of it, not after the farce that's this spontaneous arranged marriage.

And soon, just like her earlier words, this kingdom shall turn and kneel to its Queen.

**Author's Note:**

> Let there be fire!


End file.
